Hemulismhttps://hemulism.wordpress.com
A slave to sound.Wed, 14 Jun 2017 07:40:23 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngHemulismhttps://hemulism.wordpress.com
Gawp at This: Knifeworld reveal the true face of god in their new video!https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/gawp-at-this-knifeworld-reveal-the-true-face-of-god-in-their-new-video/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/gawp-at-this-knifeworld-reveal-the-true-face-of-god-in-their-new-video/#respondWed, 09 May 2012 16:02:06 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=181Continue reading →]]>What ho, chaps! No, I refuse to just let this blog die with its dignity intact, however time-and-money-poor I seem to be (which so far this year has been oh-so-very). Some things are just too important to let sleeping blogs lie.

With that in mind, I invite you to clap your eyes upon this beautiful slice of mindfuckery from prog-psych-whatever merchants Knifeworld, in support of the title track from their forthcoming EP.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/gawp-at-this-knifeworld-reveal-the-true-face-of-god-in-their-new-video/feed/0thehemulenBest of Bandcamp: Caterpillarmenhttps://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/best-of-bandcamp-caterpillarmen/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/best-of-bandcamp-caterpillarmen/#respondFri, 27 Jan 2012 14:55:58 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=176Continue reading →]]>If you like your prog raw, quirky and a little bit tongue-in-cheek then look no further than these exuberant young chaps. Channeling the spirit of Samla Mammas Manna (with a splash of King Crimson, Zappa, etc. etc.), they’ve found a sound which is both indebted to the weirder excesses of prog rock’s heydey whilst also keeping things punchy and energetic enough to save it from accusations of unbridled nostalgia.

They put out not one but two albums last year, both of which are superb. The tight-arses amongst you may want to start with the pay-what-you-want self-titled offering, but if you dig that then be sure to cough up a few quid for the equally excellent and much lengthier “Babycum” album.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/best-of-bandcamp-caterpillarmen/feed/0thehemulenReview: Trumpets of Death – Teeth + Teeth = Teethshttps://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/review-trumpets-of-death-teeth-teeth-teeths/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/review-trumpets-of-death-teeth-teeth-teeths/#respondSat, 21 Jan 2012 19:46:24 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=158Continue reading →]]>Hey kids! Been a bit quiet round these parts for the last few weeks, hasn’t it? But to make up for that, here’s the first of two or three (or four if I really get my arse into gear) reviews which will hopefully tie up some of the loose ends of 2011, predictably culminating in some kind of best-of list thing, in case you’re not already totally fucking sick of those by now. From next month onwards I’ll be focusing on 2012 releases (I’m already aching to get my mits on the new Thinking Plague album) but till then, let’s party like it’s 2011!

A dark, swirling miasma of sax, synth, clanks, creaks and sundry sonic fripperies come creeping out of my speakers, followed by slow, wavering folk-tinged vocals that weave their way into the foreground like some sort of ghostly ship crossing an ink-black, post-storm sea.

Yes, scoff all you like at that excruciatingly laboured nautical metaphor, but for all its pretensions its aptness is undeniable, for this bafflingly-titled debut release by Leeds-based avant-rock/folk/jazzers Trumpets of Death owes almost as much to traditional sea shanties as it does to noise rock and related avant-gardery.

This record starts as it means to go on, with the predominantly dirge-like tempos, minor chords and ghostly production of opening track “The Press Gang” carried right the way through this confident and startling EP. The resulting atmosphere is almost oppressively bleak at times but a sinister gleefulness does occasionally creep in (such as during the delightfully wonky tango-tinged finale to “The Paper Plough”). Mind you, those squealing saxes and distorted organs certainly wouldn’t put a smile on everyone’s face, even if it did have me grinning like a tool.

But for all their instrumental prowess, its those wavering, unironically folk-influenced vocals which make the biggest impact on first listen, especially on the comparatively un-folky “Jason”. There’s something about uprooting this kind of singing from its traditional setting and plonking it in some grimy avant-rock environs which transforms them both, and the result is more often than not really quite compelling.

It’s not a perfect debut as such, but it gets pretty bloody close at times. Clocking in at a unusually-generous-for-an-EP-but-a-bit-too-stingy-for-an-album 33 minutes certainly ensures that Trumpets of Death don’t outstay their welcome, but I’m consequently left yearning for that rollicking last track to linger for just a few minutes longer. The surprising cocktail of avant-rock and sea shanty is certainly a successful one but songs like “Jason” and “Woodrow’s Lament” suggest that Trumpets of Death have plenty of potential beyond that particular gimmick. I’m giddy with anticipation at the thought of where they may go from here.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/review-trumpets-of-death-teeth-teeth-teeths/feed/0thehemulenteethplusteethequalsteethsBest of Bandcamp: Big Block 454https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/best-of-bandcamp-big-block-454/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/best-of-bandcamp-big-block-454/#respondMon, 28 Nov 2011 15:08:51 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=154Continue reading →]]>Few bands currently on my radar have embraced Bandcamp quite as wholeheartedly as Big Block 454, a unique and hugely underrated British experimental/prog rock collective. Not only have they made their considerable back catalogue available in its entireity, they have done so on a pay what you want basis. And pay you should – there are some real gems to be found here.

In terms of sound, it’s a pretty eclectic brew, but with a leaning towards psychedelic/spacey/krautrocky vibes mixed with a good dose of Bonzo-esque humour and surrealist tendencies, plus some genuinely avant-garde moments here and there. I personally recommend starting with the That’s a Nice Hat 4-track EP, (embedded above) and if that tickles your fancy, dive straight in with Bratislava, Their Coats Flapped Like God’s Chops and the recentBells & Proclamations.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/best-of-bandcamp-big-block-454/feed/0thehemulenReview: Ben Butler & Mousepad – Formed For Fantasyhttps://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/review-ben-butler-mousepad-formed-for-fantasy/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/23/review-ben-butler-mousepad-formed-for-fantasy/#respondWed, 23 Nov 2011 22:55:14 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=149Continue reading →]]>Ben Butler & Mousepad is the musical alias of Glasgow-based keyboardist/composer/producer Joe Howe, with the accompaniment of drummer Bastian Hagedorn. A solo project (insofar as Howe is the sole composer, and the music on offer is very much synth/electronics-driven), this is his debut album, following the promising “Infinite Capacity” EP. Howe and Hagedorn are joined on this album by various guest vocalists, in a move reminiscent of Battles’ latest offering (of which more another time, if I can be arsed).

After an atmospheric little spoken word intro in which Ben Butler is amusingly introduced to us as “The Guarantor of our MIDI Signals”, the title track kicks in and Mr Butler begins to set out his stall; a catchy, demented flurry of proggy disco-funk full of analogue-sounding bleeps and bloops (though it’s probable the vast majority of this album began life in a laptop) and, crucially, real drumming on actual drums.

It’s a strong opener, and both “Teenage Portal” and “Infinite Capacity” build on this solid foundation, throwing all kinds of musical influences into the mix. BB&MP are nigh-on impossible to nail down stylistically, not due to genre-hopping antics a la Mr Bungle, but rather the sheer quantity of styles that seem to have been chucked into their musical melting pot. On a basic level this is electronic dance music, but I feel certain a lot of dance fans would find nothing of interest here. The herky-jerky math rock rhythms, gleeful bursts of abrasive noise and forays into funk/soul (such as the Zappa-in-accessible-mood-esque “Design”) and synthpop would likely be off-putting to a lot of ears. Ben Butler personally aligns himself with the electronica sub-genre “Skweee”, but I’m nowhere near well-versed enough in that scene (yet) to say where and how his music slots into it.

At its best, this album manages to cram layer upon layer of warm, elastic synths, all manner of electronic blips and bubbles and screeches and howls, all battling it out with complex drum rhythms and sparse, highly processed vocals to create a unique and exhilarating take on electronic music. It’s funky, bizarre and, most importantly, genuinely danceable stuff. The highlight for me is undoubtedly “Machine Makes Fresh Ground”. which pushes those math and noise influences to the fore, with delightful mind-fucking consequences. Sadly, it’s an uneven affair, and certain tracks (“Brain Wave Surf”, for example) remain remarkably unmemorable even after repeated listens. Occasional missteps such as the irksome whiny semi-rap vocals on album closer “Nagra Fragor? OK Folga Mig” also help to undermine what could have been a brilliant debut album.

It is so hard to say who to recommend this album to, yet I do recommend it to you, yes you, whoever you are. No matter how broad you think your taste in music is, it is probable this album will fall, at least in part, outside your comfort zone. This was certainly true in my case, and that’s no bad thing.

Yep, in place of the hopelessly sporadic Spotify playlists (Spotify is so mid 2010-early 2011 anyway) I thought I’d dedicate a regular(ish) section of this humble blog to plugging whatever artist I happen to be listening to a lot on Bandcamp at the moment.

Stream it for free or, if you’re not such a desperate pauper as I am, you could even chuck a few quid their way and buy the damn tunes. I’m sure they’d like you for that.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/best-of-bandcamp-executive-legs/feed/0thehemulen4157441276-1Review: William D. Drake – The Rising of the Lightshttps://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/review-william-d-drake-the-rising-of-the-lights/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/review-william-d-drake-the-rising-of-the-lights/#respondMon, 14 Nov 2011 11:01:12 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=130Continue reading →]]>To those in the know, William D. Drake’s songwriting credentials have never really been in doubt. His contributions to Cardiacs, The Sea Nymphs, North Sea Radio Orchestra and others, not to mention two exquisite solo albums of quirky, psychedelic prog-pop all attest to the fact that Mr Drake certainly knows how to write a decent tune. Sadly, none of these projects are anywhere close to being household names and Drake remains just another well-kept secret.

However, in yet another example of a theory I’ve espoused elsewhen on this blog, that could be about to change. For with his new album The Rising of the Lights, William D. Drake has taken a noticeable swerve towards the hallowed halls of Progressive Rock with a capital Prog, and (whether the mainstream music press likes it or not) that’s a move which is likely to net you a whole load of new fans. More than ever before Drake’s music invites comparisons to the likes of Robert Wyatt, Gryphon, Gentle Giant, (and naturally enough Cardiacs, The Sea Nymphs, NSRO etc.), whilst still remaining uniquely his own sound.

The Rising of the Lights retains everything about his previous album Briny Hooves which made it the accessible, sparkling, psychedelic wonder that it is whilst noticeably upping the ante when it comes to complicated twiddly bits, lengthy instrumental excursions and downright strangeness. The result is nothing short of a marvel; a patchwork quilt of rock, folk, chamber music and popular song, twisting and turning in a constant flurry of ideas and oozing breezy charm with every note. It’s a bundle of opposites, forever veering madly between catchy, hummable ditties and knotty complexity, between playful irony and soul-wrenching sincerity.

Mr Drake seems admirably unaware of musical fads and fashions, which gives the album a sense of complete timelessness. Songs like Super Altar, Wholly Holey and Ornamental Hermit reek of the music hall and oak-panelled libraries without ever fully letting go of those subtle psychedelic undertones, and just when you’re comfortably ensconced in a bit of woodwind-laden chamber music such as Song in the Key of Concrete in comes a fat, scuzzy synth to hurl you forward by several decades. It would be easy to accuse Drake of adding quirks for the sake of quirkiness, but the album’s more hushed, reflective moments, such as the achingly gorgeous Me Fish Bring, are thankfully free from such flights of musical fancy, and get by just fine with their unadorned, wayward melodies. For all its eccentricity, this is an accessible album, and a surprisingly moving one too.

It is a testament to this album’s consistently high standards that I’ve almost concluded this review without even mentioning three of my favourite tracks, namely the crackpot complexities of Gentle Giant-esque almost-instrumental The Mastodon, the time signature jumping surrealist pop gem Ant Trees, and the delightfully pompous album closer Homesweet Homestead Hideaway. Truthfully, I have yet to find a single dud or dull moment on this record, and that is a rare thing indeed. This is music to be cherished, to huddle up to on cold nights for warmth. I sincerely doubt I will encounter a finer album this year.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/14/review-william-d-drake-the-rising-of-the-lights/feed/0thehemulenwdd4Review: Hauschka – Salon des Amateurshttps://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/review-hauschka-salon-des-amateurs/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/review-hauschka-salon-des-amateurs/#respondWed, 02 Nov 2011 19:26:19 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=120Continue reading →]]>If you’re anything like me (and if you’re not, why are you reading this?) then you’ve probably heard quite a lot of music in your time. So much music in fact, that even during your self-imposed quest to explore the furthest reaches of musical oddness and originality you’ll more often than not find yourself listening to something which is, at best, a new twist on a tried and tested formula.

So imagine my delight, dear reader, when I stuck on my headphones and prepared to acquaint myself for the first time with Salon des Amateurs, an album of prepared piano pieces* (augmented by occasional strings, horns and percussion) inspired by German minimalist techno and house music.

It’s probably fair to say I am an expert in neither of these fields, so in that respect this review is coming from a place of deep, unabashed ignorance. Indeed, the more repetitive and, for want of a better word, dancey end of electronic dance music generally leaves me cold. I am at a loss, therefore, to explain why I should find Hauschka’s (the musical alias of pianist/composer Volker Bertelmann**) acoustic/orchestral take on the genre so utterly compelling. Why should it be that the kind of composition I find so tedious when rendered with drum loops and synths miraculously becomes something I could listen to all day when played with drum kit, miscellaneous orchestral instruments and a dicked-about-with piano. Is it the incongruity, perhaps? I doubt it. The novelty ought to wear off by about the third track if this were the case, but every time I spin this album I’m hooked to the very last note. Is it mere snobbishness? I sincerely hope not (though I can’t in all honesty rule it out – I am a tosser, after all).

I like to think, however, there is something about the warm plinkity-plonk of Hauschka’s piano which transforms these simple, repetitive refrains into something completely new. As such, it is a unique, refreshing and frankly indescribable listening experience. It is also, in all probability, a complete one-off. Sadly, Hauschka has not invented a new genre here. He has, however, found a fascinating little musical cul-de-sac, one which is an absolute joy to follow him down for forty minutes or so.

**Why anyone with a name so blatantly awesome as Volker Bertelmann should feel the need to adopt a pseudonym is quite beyond me.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/review-hauschka-salon-des-amateurs/feed/0thehemulenTRAINS AND BOATS AND PLANESReview: Ensemble – Excerptshttps://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/review-ensemble-excerpts/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/review-ensemble-excerpts/#commentsWed, 02 Nov 2011 18:58:31 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=112Continue reading →]]>“Beautiful” is one of those words that is so often tossed about willy and (more to the point) nilly, that it quickly loses all meaning and becomes just another cliché. Is that sunset really beautiful, or is it just unusually pink? Is that baby really beautiful or is just another shrieking heap of muck-encrusted flesh, like all babies? So please do bear this in mind when I tell you that Excerpts, the latest album from Montreal-based singer/songwriter Olivier Alary’s somewhat anonymously-entitled Ensemble, is a beautiful album. There is no other word for it. It is not merely charming, nor unusually pink, it is an album of extraordinarily beautiful music.

A shimmering blend of chamber pop and experimental soundscape, each song weaves its own little spell with confidence, understatement and utter precision. Alary expands upon the standard instrumentation of guitars and drums with sumptuous strings and all manner of subtle sonic textures and studio jiggery-pokery. His tendency to cut through the silkier, poppier elements of the album with a little atonal stab here and a wall of jabbering voices there is perhaps what makes this record truly unique. Add to this the timeless sensuality and emotional clarity vocals of Darcy Conroy’s breathy vocals and you have something that is simultaneously cerebral and instinctual, uncompromising and accessible.

Despite featuring songs in English as well as French, the overall result is irrepresibly Gallic in nature. Serge Gainsbourg is an obvious influence, but fortunately Alary manages to bring enough of his own flair for orchestration and expansive soundscapes to keep the record from becoming an exercise in mere emulation.

Perhaps Excerpts‘ biggest flaw is that, in this era of viral videos, shuffle functions and endless choice, there is no real stand-out track. The whole thing hangs together so cohesively as an album that even the title-track (which was released as a single) loses much of its impact when divorced from the context of the album as a whole. Nonetheless, this is what pop music ought to be. Expressive, accessible, deep, ; the sort of music which makes you want to stick on a pair of headphones and dive headfirst into it. The sort of music you wish would appear on the soundtrack to the movie of your life which no one will (rightly) ever make. In short, genres be damned, this is just music. Genuinely beautiful music.

]]>https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/review-ensemble-excerpts/feed/1thehemulenEnsemble_-_Excerpts_artworkHello again.https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/hello-again/
https://hemulism.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/hello-again/#respondWed, 12 Oct 2011 14:01:20 +0000http://hemulism.wordpress.com/?p=108Continue reading →]]>What’s that I hear? Is it an unreleased Faust demo? No, it’s just the rusty cogs and gears of Hemulism slowly grinding back into motion after what must be at least a couple of aeons.

Yes, I’m back. Kinda. I suppose. As much as I’ll ever be, which is hopefully enough. I shan’t bore you with the whys and wherefores of my absence as nobody gives a shit about that sort of thing. However, some apologies are in order.

To those of you I’ve promised reviews to that have simply failed to materialise, I am extremely sorry. Addressing this backlog is my top priority and I’m aiming to have them all written and posted within the next few weeks.

And sorry to those of you who’ve contacted me with music that I’ve simply not responded to. I haven’t forgotten about you, honest! If you don’t get a response in the next few weeks, try sending me another email.

And finally to you, dear reader (yes, it’s just you, I’m afraid), sorry for being such a feckless non-updatey dick of a blogger. I have what I believe is technically referred to as “a fuckload” of intriguing and unusual albums, artists and sundry noises to bring to your attention over the coming weeks and months, so please do stick around. I’m not going to pretend this won’t be the last time I ever temporarily shut up shop (such is the reality of my life; commitments and priorities strewn about like confetti) but next time I hope I’ll at least have the good sense and decency to let you know before I go skulking off to attend to matters non-Hemulistic.